1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to vises and, in particular, to a device that stabilizes and holds a wide variety of irregular shaped objects by means of conformable spring action jaws.
2. Background
Woodworking vises and machinist vises are very common and useful tools. Conventional vises rely on a slow and cumbersome method of closure, a non-ergonomic cranking action in a plane parallel to the body of the user. Additionally, they are limited to applications entailing work objects with two parallel sides. Certain specialized jaws are available, such as, notched jaws for holding pipes, or rubber jaws, but for the most part, specialized holding jigs must be built in order to hold irregular objects, which can take considerable time and expense. This device was invented to address both of those shortfalls, which is to say, providing a generalized and flexible holding capability, suitable for a wide range of irregular objects, while providing, a quick and ergonomic method of closure with equivalent or better mechanical advantage.
A wide variety of specialized holding and clamping devices have been developed in an attempt to accommodate irregularly shaped objects. Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,460,064, 5,806,385, 6,098,507, 6,092,443, and 6,138,534. While these and other devices represent and improvement in the art of holding irregularly shaped objects, they suffer from several drawbacks that have prevented widespread application in the machining arts.
U.S. Pat. No. 626,427 to E. H. Jones, issued Jun. 6, 1899 is directed to a vise in which an article is placed between two jaws provided with adjustable projections (or between a single jaw and a plane jaw) and the jaws are moved together, so that the article displaces the projections opposite to it and their ends bear on the different portions of its form and hold it up approximately as a mold would do. The projections are then clamped securely in the projections to which they have adjusted themselves and the jaw is tightened upon the article by a vise screw.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,499,989 to F. Lehmann, issued Jul. 1, 1924 discloses a vise for use with machine tools that includes a base plate adapted to be secured to the sliding carriage of a planing machine, or the like, and having two housings mounted oppositely on the base plate. The two housings are adapted such that at least one will slide toward the other and a series of spring controlled clamping jaws are so arranged in each of the housings that projecting parts of the workpiece causes part of the jaws to be pressed back into the housings until all of the spring controlled jaws are in contact with and firmly grip the workpiece on all sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,754,708 to C. R. Peterson, issued Jul. 17, 1956 shows a vise for handling irregular shaped object that includes a base having a stationary jaw projecting upwardly from one end and a movable jaw slidable on the base. Included in each of the jaws is a hollow block having facing openings with a plurality of movable work engaging members slidably carried in the block. A movable pressure plate in each block adjacent one side wall thereof is clampable against the work engaging members to lock each of them into work engaging position. Springs are used to urge each work-engaging member into working position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,063 to Bela Nagy, issued Jun. 21, 1988 is directed to a vise attachment for use on a vise assembly for holding objects having irregularly shaped surfaces and includes a small compact housing having a plurality of blade elements disposed adjacent to each other and slidably mounted within a rectangular opening on one side of the housing and movable between and extended position and a retracted position. Each element preferably comprises a plate member having smooth planar surfaces and a concave curved back edge and stop means disposed on upper and lower edges for setting a limit for extension of the blade from the housing. A self-distributing non-resilient medium is positioned within the housing and has a predetermined volume for filing the housing when the blades are in a retracted position. A distribution and reset means causes the blades to reposition themselves to extend fully through the rectangular opening when not holding an object.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,940 to Ingo E. Wolfe, issued Mar. 7, 2000 discloses a universal vise that has a movable and a fixed jaw that can be indexed at 90° increments to provide for four separate work clamping surfaces on each jaw. The vise includes a vise screw driving a nut that drives the movable jaw in each of four indexed positions of the movable jaw. The indexable jaws permit the vise to be adapted to hold four different types of work pieces.
U.S. Des. Pat. No. D/439,879 to Reinhard Renner, issued Mar. 27, 2001 discloses a gripping clamp that utilizes a linear slider bar, a moveable jaw and a fixed jaw that can be tilted by means of a ratchet cam.
While the above-described vise devices are effective for their intended purpose, there is nevertheless a continuing need, and a consumer desire, for an improved vise that opens and closes quickly and easily with a high degree of mechanical advantage is usable for clamping and holding a wide variety of work object shapes.